News

ORICA-SCOTT women head to Swiss for a weekend of one-day racing with a small but powerful team.

Wed 17 May 2017

Whilst half of the team race in the Basque country, the rest of the team head to Switzerland for the Tour de Berne and SwissEver GP ChamHagedorn, a weekend of tough one-day races.

It will be the first time the Australian outfit has started the Tour of Berne and the event gives the team an extra race hit out as they begin the second half of their 2017 racing season.

Fresh from their recent intense training camp in Spain, the four-rider team line-up is a mixture of sprint power and climbing talent, balanced with youth and experience.

“It is the only time of the year we race in Switzerland and it is always a welcomed occasion,” explained sport director Martin Barras. “It's a beautiful three hour drive from our base in Varese, conjuring up images of yodelling in the high mountains and eating swiss fondue.”

“On Saturday, it is the 94th edition of the Berner Rundfarht, a 102kilometre National race in Lyss not far from the shores of Lake Bielersee in the Canton of Bern.

“The one-day event is held over three laps of a circuit covering the Frienisberg climb, which we expect to be the defining sector of the race with its final three kilometres averaging just under ten percent.”

In 2015 former ORICA-SCOTT rider Lizzie Williams took a solo victory in the second race of the weekend, SwissEver GP Cham, and last year Sarah Roy sprinted in to third place.

Having achieved consistent sprint results recently at the Tour of Chongming Island, Roy will be joined by fellow Australian Rachel Neylan, who returned to racing in May after an injury plagued first part of the season, whilst the two youngsters Jessica Allen and Alex Manly round up the compact squad.

“On Sunday it is a UCI race that twirls and twirls twelve times on a flattish, narrow and technical course in Hagendorn,” Barras continued. “We have raced here twice before and previously enjoyed success.”

“Whilst we are mindful of manners and convention, we intend to bring a typically aggressive Australian style to those races, and we hope we can enjoy another win with a strong but small team.”